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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The Giant Bumbo

Every parent these days knows about the Bumbo...that foam seat that supports your tiny kiddo when they're learning to sit? Yeah, it's genius. It's waterproof, wipeable, portable, and only $30. (Unless you find one on Craigslist for $10 like I did!) And most parents don't use it for long before their kid can sit independently or grows out of it...but not us.

I like the Bumbo because it holds Sadie's butt and doesn't allow her to arch. It is also sort of deep, so she is forced to sit on her "sit bones" and not on her sacrum. But the problem is that it's made for babies, and Sadie's 2, so the back isn't high enough to support her. This causes her to either be in taco mood (kissing her knees) or be in back bend mode (staring at the ceiling). She isn't strong enough to hold that much of her body up straight like she needs to to sit well.

So, you might argue that that's why we got the Happy Chair. And you're right...but the Happy Chair isn't waterproof so I can't take it in the shower with me. And she can't sit out in the yard with the sprinklers in the Happy Chair. This is the Happy Chair's ONE FLAW.

The other night I went on a hunt for a "giant bumbo." I figured there had to be some special needs product out there that was just like the Bumbo, but more supportive for kiddos like mine who still benefit from the Bumbo, but need a little more support because their body is bigger.

This is what gets me. It can't be much bigger than a Bumbo, right? It can't be much more expensive to make than a Bumbo. So, why is it 6 and a half times more expensive?!! I'm thinking about writing the company a little email...

Dear Childrite Seat Company,

My daughter, Sadie, is 2 years old and has Cerebral Palsy. She doesn't talk, she doesn't eat or drink well, and she doesn't sit independently. She still fits in her Bumbo Seat, but it doesn't offer her the kind of support she needs. Just tonight I was telling my husband, "we need a Bumbo Seat with a high back" and then I found your product. I was so excited to see that it's exactly what we need, exactly what I was imagining. I was ready to order one right then and there...then I saw the price.

I am appalled and disgusted at how much you are charging for this "Giant Bumbo Seat." That's what it is, right? I can buy a Bumbo Seat at Target for $30, why is your chair more than 6 times that price?

I imagine it's because most go through insurance to purchase your "therapy product." And while we have great insurance, they have recently paid for Sadie to have a wheelchair, a Chillout Chair, and in the recent past have also provided her with a Tumbleform Chair. We've been denied a swing, so I doubt they'd approve your product. Not to mention that sometimes I don't want to wait 6-12 weeks to go through the process of using insurance.

I want to buy your product with my own money. But it's too darn expensive.

You must make a killing in the profits from these. And I'd be willing to buy one for $50, even $75...but $200 is ridiculous. It's insulting. Just because my daughter cannot sit independently and is too big for most supportive sitters, shouldn't mean that I deserve to look harder, wait longer, and pay more for something she needs. We are already disadvantaged enough in this family, it's hard to believe you would want to make our lives more difficult. But that's how it is when buying special needs equipment. Everything is more expensive, more difficult to obtain, and there's always a wait of at least 4-6 weeks...minimum.

Please consider a "non insurance price." I mean, the doctor's office does it, right? Why shouldn't you? I would still like to purchase your product at a reasonable price if you'll let me.

I look forward to hearing back from you at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,
Christie Beck

What do you think? Should I send it?

Update: I posted on my special needs Mommy forum about this. Turns out there is a mom in our group who has one her daughter doesn't use. She is willing to sell it to me. And she is willing to let me borrow and try it out to make sure it's what we want first. I will definitely let you know how it goes. But it doesn't change the fact that I am still disgusted by the prices offered for special needs equipment.

Equipment for children with special needs is often needlessly expensive. We have the Childrite seat at school. I think in this instance the higher cost may well have something to do with the size of the company and the small volume of the seats produced. Unlike Bumbos that are mass produced by what I guess is a larger company with a bit of buying clout, it makes sense that the cost to manufacture will be higher. When Bumbos were first introduced they cost more than they do today. If you go to the Childrite seat home page (http://www.childrite.com/index.html) there is usually a coupon code for a $50 discount. It will reduce the cost a bit and cover shipping. Also, if you look at the FAQ's the company addresses the high cost issue.

I'm thrifty and cut expenses where I can at home and work. But in this instance I do feel the cost of developing a product specifically to meet the unmet needs of families and to pay to manufacture the product may justify the cost. Now if the price does not go down a bit as the initial costs are realized over time, then I would be willing to jump on the price gouging bandwagon. But not when the product has been recently developed or when the volume of sales is not high enough to lower manufacturing costs.

On Facebook, a friend of mine posted the following about this blog post.

Melissa Waller Longshore: The person who created the Child Rite seat was the parent of a special needs child. When it was first created, a lot of parents reacted just like you...because it is appalling that it cost so much compared to the Bumbo. The parent who created the Child Rite responded to the parents on a cp group that I was member. She said that first that she was a special needs parent just like them so she was not trying to make money off of those with disabilities. Plus, she stated that she felt it was supply and demand . She found that since there was a huge demand for the Bumbo...That company could charge less but since the special needs market is a smaller section of the marketplace...There is less demand for the Child Rite Seat so in turn she must charge more to make ends meet. Also, she cited that it took more material to make the Child Rite seat. I really don't know what to think. I do know that once something is marketed to the special needs population, there tends to be a huge mark up. I find that disgusting. To me, it is like a vulture circling the weak. These companies know that they have a desperate capative consumers so they can charge ....Whatever? ...and parents HAVE to pay because it is a necessity for their child. I know that is true because I can go to special needs catalogues for toys that are marketed to children with disabilities and find that there is huge mark up when compared to typical toys. I can search for that very same toy that I found in the special needs catalogue at Walmart and find it reasonably priced. It leads me to think that there is something wrong with how we market things to those with disabilities.

We actually have a Tumbleform. It works well for outside, but it's too big to put in the shower with me (which is really what I want this for). I also think the Tumbleform supports her completely, and I want her to have to do some of the work so she gets stronger...which is why I love the Happy Chair!

I totally agree! I want this chair so bad for my little boy who is 18 mos old that has severe brain damage from meningitis. He also can't sit on his own & won't fit in a Bumbo now, even though he's small for his age :( seems like a lot of products for special needs kids are so expensive.

I just purchased the Mega seat from Walmart. It is comparable to the Child Rite chair but its priced like the bumbo. Just purchased and already my hubby wants to buy another Mega seat. Check it out I think you will agree.

The Bumbo is made in Africa and is sold worldwide. It is small and light wait...maybe good for up to a 2 year old (retail avg $30). Now compare it to the Childrite Seat, which is made in the USA. If you pay $150.00 after discounts and you use it up to 12-13 years (70lbs) you will notice that you get more for your money. I am a grandma and caregiver of my beautiful grandson that has severe CP. I am thankful everyday for 'Jonathan's Seat' as it is known by. I am saving for a second chair by selling seat covers that I designed. Available on Etsy and Ebay. I hope by now you have come to realize what a great product this is.

I work with Special needs children and many companies that carry products for special needs children are 6 times higher than they should be. Did you know Bed Bath & Beyond carry's many products for special needs children and adults. I was pleased when I saved 189.00 dollars on a seat to go. Go to search (drive medical). Hope this helps someone out there.

About me

My name is Christie and I write this blog to share with others what life is like with a child who has Cerebral Palsy. Sadie was born at home in January 2010 and was quickly rushed to the NICU because she wasn't breathing normally. After lots of tests and many more unanswered questions, we brought her home expecting her to die within days. She had other ideas, and has shown her strong will ever since. She will be 3 in January 2013, and her baby brother was born in October 2012. My name is Christie and I am a wife, a friend, and a mother to a child with special needs. But most importantly, I am a mother.

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http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PXGWVXX

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